BDR 43-796 – In Honor of Native American Heritage Month
To celebrate Native American Heritage Month, we are sharing all the favorable outcomes of the 82nd Legislative Session.
As all our relatives become more engaged in civic matters, please know that the BDR 40-22 which “revises provisions relating to public safety, specifically regarding Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP),” is now law.
(BDR 43-796) Existing law requires each state agency that communicates with Indian Tribes on a regular basis to designate a Tribal liaison whose duties include maintaining ongoing communication between the state agency and affected Indian Tribes. (NRS 233A.260)
Section 2 of this bill requires the Tribal Liaison for the Department of Public Safety to also maintain ongoing communication related to missing or murdered indigenous persons between the Department and:
(1) Indian Tribes and Tribal communities in this State;
(2) Tribal organizations;
(3) Urban Indian organizations;
(4) other Tribal liaisons designated by state agencies; members of Indian Tribes
Existing law requires each sheriff, chief of police or other law enforcement agency that receives a report of a person missing under suspicious circumstances who is 18 years of age or older to enter the information concerning the missing person into the computer for the National Crime Information Center. (NRS 480.500)
Section 3 of this bill authorizes the Department to:
(1) Accept a report of a person who is 18 years of age or older and missing under certain circumstances from an Indian reservation or Indian Colony that is located in whole or part of this State;
(2) Enter the information concerning the missing person into the computer for the National Crime Information Center.
Section 3.5 of this bill requires each sheriff, chief of police or other law enforcement agency that receives a report that an Indigenous person who is 18 years of age or older is missing from an Indian reservation or Indian Colony that is located in whole or part in this State to notify:
(1) Missing and Murdered Unit within the Office of Justice Services of the Bureau of Indian Affairs;
(2) A person employed as a police officer by the Indian Tribe having jurisdiction over the Indian reservation or Indian Colony from which the person is missing; or
(3) the Tribal Liaison for the Department Section 4.5 of this bill makes an appropriation to the Investigation Division of the Department for personnel, travel, operating, equipment, and information services expenses to carry out the provisions of this bill.
The NEVADA INDIAN COMMISSION (NIC) is a State agency created by statute in 1965 to “study matters affecting the social and economic welfare and well-being of American Indians residing in Nevada, including but not limited to matters and problems relating to Indian affairs and to federal and state control, responsibility, policy, and operations affecting such Indians.” Beginning on July 1, 2024, our agency will be known as the Department of Native American Affairs (DNA).
For more information about this MMIP law, click here.